The third day of the Dhaka Test between Bangladesh and West Indies took an unexpected turn when Mominul Haque, the side's No. 3 batter, was ruled out of the match after sustaining a concussion while fielding at short leg. The incident happened shortly before the lunch break, during the 78th over of West Indies' first innings on October 30, 2026, at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.
Mominul was stationed close to the bat when Joshua Bishop pushed at an offspin delivery from Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The ball flew off Bishop's hands and struck Mominul, who managed to get his hands to it but could not hold on, tumbling face-first to the ground in the process. After an assessment by the medical team, he was confirmed to have shown signs of concussion and was withdrawn from the match.
Bangladesh team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan addressed the media on the matter. Jaker Ali Anik was formally named as the concussion substitute, taking Mominul's place for the rest of the contest. Later, with Mominul unavailable to bat, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto moved up to fill the No. 3 position that Mominul usually occupies in the Bangladesh batting order.
"As he has shown signs of concussion, he has been replaced by Jaker Ali Anik as the concussion sub for the remainder of the match," Bayjedul Islam said, as quoted by Cricinfo.
How did Bangladesh's second innings unfold after the injury?
Shanto's promotion to No. 3 did not yield the desired result, as he fell to Roston Chase, bringing the concussion substitute into action. Jaker Ali walked out to bat when Bangladesh lost their third wicket in the second innings, with the side already under considerable pressure.
By the time the tea interval arrived, Bangladesh had posted 34 for 4 in their second innings, holding a lead of only 61 runs over West Indies. For Jaker, the session ended abruptly when rain stopped play and brought the tea break forward early, with him having just got off the mark.
What does Jaker Ali's appearance mean for his Test career?
Jaker Ali's entry into this match carried significance beyond the immediate match situation. His previous Test appearance had come against Sri Lanka in June 2025, making this return to the longest format a gap of 16 months between red-ball outings.
The route back was unconventional, arriving through the concussion substitute provision rather than a straightforward selection call. Nevertheless, Jaker was padded up and ready when Bangladesh's third wicket fell in the second innings, and he stepped out to bat in what was his first Test action since that Sri Lanka series. Whether he can make a meaningful contribution with the bat and help Bangladesh extend their slender lead remains to be seen.
